Twisted Fates
by PrincessMandii
Summary: What if the Jedi Counsel decides that the best way to protect the beloved Senator Amidala is not by giving her a bodyguard, but a husband? (Timeframe: after the attack on Senator Amidala in the beginning of Star Wars Episode II).
1. Chapter 1

Timeframe: Beginning of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

Anakin stood at the window overlooking the city. The setting sun painted the Coruscant sky a dark shade of purple and orange, and the nightlife is just beginning.

Anakin impatiently taps his foot as he waits for his Master to finish his meeting with the Jedi Council.

As Anakin traces the outline of the city with his eyes, he becomes lost in deep thought.

The meeting was called suddenly after they tracked down a women hired to assassinate Padme.

He wonders who would have hired her, and why they'd want her dead. Just the thought of someone trying to kill Senator Amidala causes Anakin to ball up his fists in frustration.

Just then the door opens and Master Yoda speaks up.

"Young Skywalker, enter you may."

Anakin clears his mind and heads inside, where he stands in the middle of the circle of Masters with Obi-wan. He can feel the tension in the room as he observes the serious looks on the Jedi's faces. He immediately straightens up and puts a composed look on his face.

Master Yoda clears his throat, "Track down this bounty hunter you must, Obi-wan."

Master Windu interjects, "Most importantly, find out who he's working for."

"What about Senator Amidala?" Obi-wan asks, "She will still need protecting."

The Council exchanges looks among themselves.

"Handle that, your Padawan will."

Obi-wan raises his brow and steals a side glace at Anakin, whose attention still remains on Master Yoda.

"Anakin." Master Windu says, brining everyone's attention on the boy. "Escort the senator to her home planet of Naboo. She will be safer there."

"Also," Master Windu says, taking a long and awkward pause, "as the council has discussed…" his eyes meet with Master Yoda, urging him to finish his sentence.

"Marry Senator Amidala, you must." Master Yoda finishes.

Anakin's eyes widened to the size of saucers before he is able to recompose himself.

"M-marry!" he shouts.

 _I can't marry her! I barely even know her!_

"Anakin." Obi-wan warns.

"This goes against Jedi Code! I-I can't marry her! I won't!" he continues to yell.

 _This doesn't make sense! How will marrying her help her situation?!_

"Anakin calm down!" Obi-wan snaps.

"But Master-"

"I understand your confusion," Master Windu interjects, "but allow me to explain."

"Senator Amidala is in great danger at all times. She will need someone with great power and strength to protect her. A simple bodyguard will not be sufficient, for they are not as powerful and do not know the ways of the Force like we Jedi and Padawan. Also, if the people learn that Senator Amidala needs protection to rule, she will be viewed as weak. And nobody wants a weak ruler."

He pauses to let the information sink in before continuing.

"A husband, on the other hand, will give her the appearance of stability. It will show the public that Senator Amidala can balance work and family, and will also give her an increase of attention from the media, which will boost her political power and ensure her position."

Anakin stands there quietly, but his mind is all _but_ quiet.

Reaching out to the Force, Anakin tries to calm himself down before speaking.

It takes several quiet and tense minutes.

The council members do not know what to expect from the young boy, and his quietness was making them uneasy.

Anakin decides to tackle the hard questions first.

"Master, I thought the Jedi Code forbid personal attachments? Also…why me?!" Anakin can't help but shout the last part. He's frustrated. How dare they decide his fate without even consulting him about it first!?

 _I mean sure Senator Amidala has a pretty face_ , Anakin thinks to himself, _but I just…I just can't! This is outrageous!_

His thoughts are interrupted by Master Yoda's voice.

"Forbids attachments, Jedi Code does. But, make an exception, we did." Master Yoda says with a nod. "Because of your age, chosen you were."

"It is true, there are just a few years between you two. Also, you've met each other before, so you are acquainted." Master Tiin elaborates. "It is the will of the Force."

"Of course, you do not have to do this if you don't want too, but we highly advise that you do. But, Master Yoda has reached out to the Force, and we see that this is the correct path to take in order to save the Republic." Master Windu adds.

Anakin remains silent, knowing that he cannot argue with that logic. Although he does not say a word, the scowl on his face shows the Jedi Masters just how he feels about the situation. He steals a glance at his Master, Obi-wan, who hasn't uttered a word since he entered.

 _What the heck! I thought for sure that Master would oppose this! Why hasn't he said anything? Why isn't he defending me?!_

It was then that Obi-wan caught sight of Anakin's side glare.

"Perhaps we can discuss later? It is getting quite late, and we can give Anakin some time to think it through." Obi-wan suggests.

"Discuss later, we will. In one hour we will meet." Master Yoda confirms as he relaxes his shoulders. The rest of the council looks relieved that the conversation came to a halt, for it was becoming very tense in the room, and they needed to meditate.

At that Anakin bowed at the Masters and resisted the urge to spit in Obi-wan's face as he exited the room.

* * *

With the hour break, Anakin decides to go to his chambers meditate.

As Anakin releases his frustration, confusion, and other negative emotions into the force, something clicks. He is presented with two options.

One of them is to turn down the position and just serve as Amidala's temporary bodyguard. He would fulfill his duty and return to his Master afterwards and continue his Jedi training. This future is straight and clear; predictable. But as Anakin reaches more out to the Force, he sees a possible darkness that this future brings. And this darkness is not dim; it's pitch black.

The other option is to marry Senator Amidala, but unlike the first option, where everything is stretched out straight and clear, this one is all scrambled and distorted.

Anakin takes a deep breath and withdraws from his meditation session. His decision isn't an easy one to make. He gets up from his seated position and stretches. His muscles ached from the earlier chase, and all Anakin wanted right now was a hot bath.

Anakin runs his hand through his hair and traces his braid with his fingers. He really doesn't want to give up his training, but then again he doesn't want to be blamed for the fall of the Republic.

Ugh it was an impossible decision!

But it was a decision that had to be made. And with that in mind, Anakin exited his room and headed to the Council Meeting, for it was about to start any minute now.

* * *

AN:

This is my first story ever, so please excuse if it's a lil choppy and awkward! But still I'm super happy I got it up!

Please tell me what you think about it and don't be shy to leave a review!

Also it'd be awesome if you guys can let me know of any mistakes I made (timeframe, events, names). I'm trying to become a better writer, so constructive criticism is welcomed!

\- xoxo, Danni out *cartwheels into space*


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

* * *

An hour had passed and the Jedi Council was meeting once again. Obi-wan was seated next to Mace Windu, and Anakin was once again standing in the middle of the platform.

 _Oh Force, please tell me I'm making the right decision._ Anakin thinks.

Obi-wan gives him a reassuring smile as he looks at his nervous Padawan.

"Decided, have you?" Yoda says, snapping Anakin out of his thoughts.

"Yes, Master Yoda." Anakin says with a slight bow.

"I will fulfill your requests and serve the role as a husband." As confidently as Anakin tried to make his voice sound, it was laced with indecisiveness.

His indecision did not go unnoticed.

"Worry not, young Skywalker." Master Tiin said trying to comfort Anakin, but the blonde would take none of it. He is not a child, he doesn't need the Council to worry about him.

A frown formed on Anakin's face. "But what about my training? Can I still continue it?"

"Obi-wan will remain as your Master, and you as his apprentice. The only thing changing will be that you will have a ring on your finger." Windu says.

The blonde's cheeks turn a light shade of pink as the thought of marrying Padme crosses his mind.

Anakin shakes his head, getting rid of the thought.

 _Thank the Force I'll still have Obi-wan. Heh, maybe he'll be my best man._

 _Which reminds me..._

"When will the wedding be?" he asks awkwardly, shifting his weight.

This time it's Obi-wan's turn to answer the boy.

"Anakin. Thank you for obeying the Masters." He says with a proud smile. "The plan is to have you serve as Senator Amidala's bodyguard for now, then after a short while we will introduce her to the marriage arrangement. We want her to get to know you without the pressure of matrimony."

"How are you so confident that she will go through with this?" Anakin can't help but ask.

His question challenged the Jedi's ruling, and Master Yoda cleared his throat to defend the Jedi way.

"Our judgment, she must respect. The will of the Force, it is."

Obi-wan shoots Anakin a glare, and Anakin does his best to try to ignore it. He had fallen out of line, and he knew it.

"Forgive me, Masters, for my comment." He says through clenched teeth. He never was a fan of apologies.

"Go, you shall, to protect Senator Amidala, and escort her to the planet Naboo, you will." Yoda says, dismissing Anakin from the meeting.

Anakin gives the Council members one last bow and hurries out the door. As he leaves he hears the conversation shift to Obi-wan and something about the planet Kamino.

* * *

Packing is something Anakin loves, and yet hates doing. He hates deciding what he wants to bring, and what he needs to bring.

"I know I should pack more boxer shorts, but I think I should pack my Gameboy Advanced instead. I mean, what if I get bored on the flight to Naboo!?" he says to himself, justifying his action as he wedges his Gameboy into the suitcase.

 _That should be it._ He thinks to himself as he takes his luggage and heads to the hanger, where he will be meeting with Senator Amidala and flying to her home planet of Naboo.

As he walks through the halls, his mind fogs up with thought.

 _The Masters said that they will reveal to the Senator that we will be wed, so at least I don't have to do the dirty work. Speaking of dirty work, I have to wash my Nintendo dogs and feed them as soon as possible._

Someone bumps his shoulder and Anakin resists the urge to yell, ' _Watch where you're going!'_

Looking up, he meets the face of Master Kenobi.

"Master!" Anakin says surprised. He thought that the Jedi Council was still in session.

"Thought I'd just send you off without saying goodbye?!" Obi-wan says with fake disbelief. He puts his hands on Anakin's shoulders and a warm smile radiates off his face.

A small smile forms on Anakin's lips.

"Oh Master, and here I thought you didn't care." He jokes.

An awkward silence settles between the two Force users.

"Do you agree this is the right course of action?" Anakin asks nervously, not knowing how his Master will react.

Obi-wan lets the question hang in the air before answering it.

"Yes, but I think I would have chosen another candidate. It's unusual that they decided to chose a Padawan and break the Jedi Code."

He signs. "But Master Yoda is one stubborn…green guy, and if the Force tells him to do something, he obeys."

Anakin nods. Clearly his Master did not agree with this course of action, but because of his faith and loyalty to the Force, he goes along with it.

The young Padawan admires his Master for his patience with the Council, and only hopes that one day he will have that same kind of patience.

Obi-wan looks at his apprentice, "You understand that this is a very dangerous and honorable mission. And as your Master, I expect you will treat it with upmost importance."

Anakin nods, he can hear the concern in Obi-wan's tone.

"And please, try not to do anything rash or irresponsible. Act maturely." Obi-wan advises in a motherly tone.

Anakin snorts. "When have I ever done anything rash or irresponsible?"

"I keep a list. It's alphabetized."

Anakin rolls his eyes, but keeps his mouth shut.

"Heading to the hanger? I'm about to board myself." Obi-wan say as he starts walking.

"Master, be safe on your mission." Anakin says, his tone laced with concern as he tries to catch up with his Master's pace.

The bounty hunter they tracked down proved to be very skilled. The man who hired the hunter must be even more so.

Obi-wan smiles.

"It's nice to know that you care about your Master's well-being, but I assure you I will be fine." Obi-wan says with a confident smile.

Anakin nods, and the two continue to walk towards the hanger in a comfortable silence.

* * *

Upon reaching the hanger, both men part ways.

"May the Force be with you." Obi-wan says to his Padawan with a lighthearted but serious tone.

"May the Force be with you too, Master." Anakin says respectfully as he bows.

He enters the spacecraft that was ordered to send him and Senator Amidala to the planet Naboo with his luggage. It was a private ship, so that the former Queen can travel in style while still being unnoticed. She must have sent Sabe to replace her in her meetings and duties while she flees.

It was going to be a short flight, and the Senator should already be on board.

As the door closes behind him, an uneasy feeling washes through blonde.

He shakes his head, as if to literally shake off the uneasiness, and heads to his temporary quarters to store his luggage.

As he walks out of his quarters, he sees the Senator talking to Jar Jar.

The sight of Senator Amidala causes Anakin's stomach to flip-flop. He could feel his nerves tingling like being tickled with a small feather.

She had on a plain white dress that fitted her loosely and her hair was in a French braid that was tied with an elegant white bow.

"I'm taking an extended leave of absence, it will be your responsibility to take my place in the Senate." He sees Senator Amidala tell Jar Jar Binks.

"Of course, Milady. Have a safe trip." Jar jar says with a polite bow and leaves the spacecraft.

Anakin waits to the side, not wanting to interrupt.

The sound of the engine turning on is heard throughout the spacecraft.

 _If we leave now, we will probably make it to Naboo at sunrise tomorrow._ Anakin thinks to himself.

The engine roars and they are lifted out to space in a matter of seconds.

Senator Amidala turns around and looks up at Anakin.

"I don't like this idea of hiding." She pouts as she brushes past the young Padawan, heading into her chambers.

Anakin follows her and casually wipes his now sweaty palms on his pants.

"Don't worry. The Council has already launched an investigation, and it won't take long for Obi-wan to find this bounty hunter." The blonde says trying to comfort the former Queen.

 _This is my future wife! I have to make a good impression._

"I haven't worked for a year to defeat the military creation act to not be here when its fate is decided!" Senator Amidala says in slight protest.

She paces around the room, fluffing pillows and putzing to calm her nerves.

"Sometimes we must let go of our pride, and do what is requested of us."

Senator Amidala stops pacing and looks up at Anakin.

Her chocolate brown eyes meet his mossy green ones.

Time seems to stop as Anakin looks directly in her eyes. A sea of anxiety washes over him as he tries to maintain his nonchalant outward appearance.

"Anakin…you've grown up." She says with a smile.

Something sparks in Anakin. Pride? Acknowledgement? He doesn't know, all he knows is that hearing her say that made him really happy for some reason.

"Thank you, Milday." Anakin says as he temporarily ignores the strange feeling.

The Senator then walks over to the window and looks out at the starts. She taps the empty space next to her, gesturing Anakin to come and join her.

Anakin's nerves have cooled down, and he was starting to act more like himself

He walks over to the former Queen and joins her in looking out into the galaxy.

"It must be difficult having sworn your life to the ways of the Jedi. Not being able to visit the places you like…or do the things you like." Senator Amidala says, her eyes glued to the view.

"Or be with the people that I love." The brunette says quietly.

"Are you allowed to love? I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi " she asks as she looks at the Anakin and tilts her head.

Anakin doesn't look away from the window as he quickly tries to think of a good response to her question.

"Love, which can also be defined as…compassion, is essential to a Jedi's life. So you might say…that we are encouraged to love." Anakin replies, pleased with his answer.

He looks down at the former Queen with a small and gentle smile.

Senator Amidala returns his smile and shakes her head.

"You've changed so much." She whispers.

"And you haven't at all." He responds, thinking back to the first day he met her. How beautiful she looked then, and how beautiful she looks now.

"Oh Ani," she says with a yawn.

Anakin's heart drops to his stomach.

No one has called him 'Ani' since his mother.

"It's getting quite late, why not call it a night." The Senator suggests. She stretches her arms above her head and wipes her tired eyes.

Anakin snaps back to reality and tries to calm his racing heart.

"O-of course, Milday." He says, wincing slightly at his stutter.

She giggles softly and sits on her bed, undoing her hair and letting her chocolate locks lazily frame her face.

Anakin watches her as he walks to the door. The girl catches Anakin staring and he quickly averts his eyes.

"Goodnight, Milday." He says as he bows and exits her chambers.

As he closes her door, his comlink vibrates.

Anakin's brows furrow.

 _Who could be calling at this late hour?_ He thinks as he looks at the caller ID.

* * *

AN: Hi guys I'm back with another chapter! I wanted to give Anakin a child-like innocence (hence the gameboy) and have him act his age for once. How do you think I did on that? Also, what do you guys think of this chapter? Leave a review and let me know! and hmmm who could be calling Anakin...i wonder...;)

Also a HUGE thank you for everyone who left a review, a follow, or a favorite! It's amazing seeing how much support this fic is getting! I was expecting like 1 follow, 2 the most, and here I am with 35! You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

-xoxoxo Mandi out *hugs all of you and blasts trap music*


	3. Chapter 3

"You're Excellency." Anakin says as he picks up the comlink. He starts to move away from the Senator's room to not wake her up.

"Anakin. Is it true? You've been assigned for marriage?" Palpatine says with a disgusted undertone.

Anakin's frowns as he enters his room. He wasn't expecting Palpatine to disagree with his assignment. Actually, looking back, he didn't really know what to have expected.

"Yes Sir." Anakin says with uncertainty. He clears his throat and regains confidence in his voice; "They've selected me because they see me as their best candidate. I will not oppose the Council and their decisions, so I agreed." _And also because I've had a crush on Padme ever since I was little._ Anakin doesn't vocalize that last part though.

He could almost see the Chancellor scowl.

He waited for a response, taping his foot impatiently. He quickly scolded himself for being impatient, for it's very un-Jedi of him. But how did Palpatine find out about his mission? He thought it would be kept secret until the Council decided to publicize it. Maybe they told Palpatine because of his close relationship to Anakin? Maybe not.

Palpatine clears his throat, causing Anakin to snap out of his thoughts.

"You are a very smart young man, Anakin. And I feel that this mission is just a waste of your time. You have amazing potential, and it's as if the Jedi are tossing you aside and wasting your natural talents by appointing you to become a husband. Anakin, I see great potential in you. You have the potential to become wiser than Master Yoda, and swifter than Master Kenobi. It's as if the Jedi are afraid of your potential, and therefore they assigned you this mission so that you may never reach it."

Anakin's eyes widen.

He never saw it that way.

"Anakin, I want what is best for you, and I just cannot see this as the right path for you to take."

Anakin hesitated. The Force had shown him earlier that this path was the right one to take…but now, now Anakin was starting to doubt the Force. He shook his head; this isn't the right way to think. His training has taught him to fully trust the Force, and he must do so.

"I understand you concerns, Sir. But, Obi-wan promised me that I will still continue my training." He said, trying to defend the Council.

Anakin started to pace around the room while he waited for the Chancellor to reply. This conversation was going south.

"Did it ever occur to you just how little training Obi-wan will have to offer you? He will most likely train you part-time, for your responsibilities will triple with this assignment. You will not only be thinking of yourself, but of your family. You will have to attend meetings with your future wife, you will have to make good impressions for the media, and you will have to balance work and family. You will not have the time to train with Obi-wan, and he will probably undertake a new Padawan."

Anakin's mouth suddenly turned dry. "But Obi-wan promised-"

"Anakin!" Palpatine interrupted, clearly frustrated, "Do you not see that the Council has agreed to stop training you! The have agreed to send you off on a 'mission' that ultimately gets rid of you!" Palpatine snapped.

His words stung Anakin like a bee.

 _No, they wouldn't just throw me away. I'm the Chosen One! I'm supposed to bring balance to the Force…but I can't bring balance to the Force if I don't complete my training…But hell! What training? They never acknowledge my skills and they treat me like a youngling…_

"I can make you an offer," Palpatine says slowly, interrupting Anakin's thoughts.

"I can train you if Master Kenobi fails to. Think about it, I don't need an answer now." His voice was now soft and kind, much like a grandfather's. Anakin has always seen Palpatine to be like a grandfather to him, and he knew that Palpatine really did want what's best for him. Unlike the Jedi Council, Palpatine acknowledged Anakin's strength, supported his actions, and offered advice, which Anakin was always grateful for.

Anakin's lips curved up to a small smile. He really was thankful for Palpatine to watch over him, but he doubted that Palpatine could teach him the ways of the Force. After all, the old man _is_ only a politician.

"Thank you, Chancellor, I will think about it." Anakin answer honestly. Even through the Chancellor couldn't train him in the ways of the Force, he could probably train him to be a politician or something.

"Well, you better be get some sleep. Goodbye, for now, Anakin." Palpatine said as he ended the call.

A hushed beep echoed in the room, indicating that Palpatine has disconnected.

Anakin took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair.

He had been so sure that taking this mission was the right call, but Palpatine's words now made him unsure. After all, this wasn't just a mission; it was a commitment.

He didn't know his feelings about the mission yet, but one thing was for sure; he did fancy the Senator.

With a sigh, Anakin jumped into bed, making it squeak under his weight.

The blonde had a lot to think about. He knew that he should meditate; he could almost hear Obi-wan's voice telling him to do so. "Meditation is essential to a Jedi," he heard the words of his Master ring in his ears.

But the young Padawan didn't hesitate to shove the thought to the back of his head.

 _"I'll do it in the morning…"_ Anakin thought as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The first streaks of sunlight hit Anakin's eyes, causing him to stir awake. His eyes flutter open and he stares at the metal grey ceiling for the longest time trying to cherish his last moments in bed. He lays there and meditates on last night's events for a little while. Finally Anakin decides it's to get up.

He brushes past the Senator's room as he heads to the ship's kitchen to grab breakfast.

Just then, an idea pops into Anakin's head. He fastens his pace towards the kitchen, eager to set his genius plan into motion.

.

.

.

"For me?!" A frazzled brunette says as she looks up at Anakin with a mixture of surprise and excitement radiating off her features.

Anakin had decided to make Padme breakfast in bed. The blonde made sure to fill her tray with a mountain of goodies; such as eggs, bacon, a pear, buttered toast, a pancake with exotic fruit stacked on it (he believed they were called strawberries, even though they did not resemble a straw), orange juice, and coffee.

He might have gone a little overboard, but he didn't know what she liked, so he gave her everything.

Anakin chuckles.

He finds her reaction rather adorable and a sense of accomplishment swells up inside of him.

"Sit up now, I don't want you to spill anything." Anakin suggests as he lays the tray on her lap.

Padme looks up at him with a huge smile.

"Thank you, _Sir Knight_." She says teasingly as she pops a strawberry in her mouth.

"Oh course, _Milady_." Anakin teases back.

Two can play at this game.

Anakin sits down at the foot of her bed, noting how lush the blankets are compared to his.

His eyes slide over to look at Padme. She's wearing a simple white pajama shirt, and because she just woke up, her hair isn't done in any fancy braids. It's loose and wavy, but nevertheless still manages to look perfect.

 _She looks like an Angel…my Angel._ Anakin thinks as a blush settles on his cheeks.

"Have you ever been to Naboo?" she asks as her eyes scan the food hungrily.

Anakin shakes his head, "No, but I've heard a lot about it." He says remembering that Padme served as Queen there while he was a youngling.

"Oh, it's just beautiful there! My whole family lives there too. It's going to be quite a reunion." She says lightheartedly as she takes a sip of her coffee.

Anakin's stomach twists as he thinks about meeting her parents…he makes a mental note to be on his best behavior when that happens. He wants her parents to accept him and view him as a responsible adult. He doesn't want to be seen as the child the council views him as.

"How long have you been apart from you family?" Anakin asks.

Padme places the cup of coffee down and picks up her fork, digging into the pancakes.

"It's been a few years." She replies as she cuts her food. "But hopefully since I'm no longer Queen I'll spend more time with them." A smile forms on her lips as she thinks of her family.

 _She must really love them._

"You know," Padme says as she tucks a lose hair behind her ear, "when I was little, I always wanted to Queen. I'd dress up and make my family sit down so that I could give them speeches. But now, looking back, I think I was too young."

"Looking back, I think you were amazing."

The words leave the blonde's mouth before he even has a chance to realize what he had said.

"I-I mean you were good at you job and the people loved you and…" Anakin stops to take a breath. His face turns a bright shade of red as he realizes that he's rambling.

The brunette looked down and busies herself in cutting another piece of the pancake, but the light blush on her cheeks does not go unnoticed by the young Padawan.

Oh dear, he was digging a hole for himself.

Anakin straighten up a little bit and released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He needed to calm his nerves before he says something stupid again.

"What did you want to be when you were little?" Padme asks breaking the awkward moment.

Anakin rolls his shoulders and leans back a little on the bed, making himself more comfortable.

He takes a moment to think back to what his little nine-year old self wanted to be.

"I wanted to be the best pod racer in the galaxy, but I guess being a Jedi is pretty cool too…Besides," Anakin says as he looks up at Padme, a smirk playing on his lips, "A racer can't do this."

Anakin uses the Force to impress her. He lifts up a pear from her tray of food and levitates it into his hand before taking a bit.

Padme claps her hands together in awe.

"That's so cool!" she marvels.

Anakin swallows and playfully wiggles his eyebrows.

Padme laughs at his boyish antics, making Anakin laugh as well.

Her laugh is the laugh of an angel, soft and sweet. A melody Anakin wants to hear over and over again. At this, he realizes that all he wants to do is make her laugh.

The blonde really did enjoy her company.

There's a flicker in the Force.

Anakin furrows his brow and stops laughing, earning a confused look from Padme.

"Is something wrong?" she asks slowly as she straightens up.

Then he felt it. A dark Force signature so powerful he mentally cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. He reached out to the Force to get a better feel of the situation and was greeted with a wave of fear, rage, and pure evil.

What was even worse was that he could feel the threat moving closer to their ship.

The blonde jumps up from the bed and looks over at Padme with fear and panic visible in his eyes, causing the brunette to mirror the look.

"We're not safe here." He says as he helps Padme out of bed and gives her a robe to throw on.

He runs to the windows and looks out. A fighter ship is coming straight at them.

Adrenaline pumps through the blonde's veins as he sprints into action. He has to protect the girl.

Anakin spins on his heels and runs to grab her hand and starts to lead her out of the room.

He leads her through all the twisted hallways in the ship as he tries to formulate a plan in his mind of how to deal with the problem.

 _Someone is coming to capture Padme. I'm sure of it. He's also powerful. I don't think I can take him on my own and protect her at the same time. We have to get out of here._

Anakin takes a moment to think of Padme. The poor girl must be so scared and confused.

"Anakin what's going on." Said girl asks with a demanding voice, which Anakin can only describe as her "Senator voice."

He's a little taken aback of how controlled she sounds in this situation, but as he looks back and sees her face, he sees the fear in her eyes.

The two hear a laser fire and seconds later the ship shakes. Red lights beam and a warning siren blares through the halls.

His grip on her hand tightens.

"A very dark Force signature is here, I think it might be a Sith. It's here to hurt us." He explains, hoping she can hear him through the loud alarm.

"We have to run!" He yells. He hated how much of a coward he sounded like.

Anakin continues to lead her to another hallway, the two are now sprinting.

 _Where are the hell are the escape pods?!"_

Another laser blasts the ship.

This time the blast violently shakes the ship and causes both Anakin and Padme to fall to the ground.

Anakin falls on top of Padme.

Their faces are mere inches apart and all Anakin can think about is her lips.

They look so soft…no.

He can't have these thoughts. Right now he was her bodyguard. Nothing more, nothing less.

He stares into the pools of her eyes for the longest moment. He senses fear and uneasiness from them.

 _We're going to be okay_. He says through his gaze.

He looks behind them and sees that the entire left wing of the ship is in ruins.

Well… _maybe_ their going to be okay.

And to make matters worse, Anakin could sense that the dark figure was now on board.

Anakin staggers up and helps Padme stand.

"Run!" He yells.

The brunette eyes are wide with fear and panic. She doesn't want to leave his side, but then again she has to find an escape pod if she or her body guard ever want to live to see another day.

Padme swallows her fear down and replaces it with determination. She nods and squeezes Anakin's hand as if to wish him good luck and starts running ahead.

Anakin turns around to face his enemy. Even if he doesn't defeat the enemy, he will at least buy Padme enough time to escape.

The creature turns the corner and looks Anakin square in the eyes.

Fear pulses through his body, paralyzing him as he stares into the yellow eyes of his opponent.

 _What he hell kind of creature is this?_

His opponents wasn't even human, he was a machine with a pair of human eyeballs.

The dark Force wieldier had on a cape that covered the rest of his body. Anakin could only guess that the creature's internal organs were protected by the machinery armor.

The blonde didn't have enough time to fully examine the specimen before it engaged in combat with him.

The beast unleashes his red light saber and runs towards Anakin, almost striking him down.

Anakin side-steps and equips his own light saber. He runs towards the machine of a man and swings his saber in a downwards fashion, aiming for him enemy's shoulder.

But his enemy is quick and blocks his move.

Blue clashes against red.

A frown forms on Anakin's face.

 _Could this be the Sith we've been looking for?_

Anakin jumps back.

"Identify yourself!" He shouts over the rumble of the deteriorating ship.

A heavy breath emits from the creature.

"General Grievous. It'll be a pleasure to end your life." The creature huffs before engaging yet again in combat.

Anakin stores the name away for later.

Grievous runs at the boy and swings his light saber so that he could take off his head.

Anakin ducks and rolls behind Grievous.

The blonde swings his sword at the back of the monster, but Grievous, being ever so swift, side steps and dodges the attack.

Grievous jumps back to get some space. He then outstretches his hands and throws Anakin to the side of the ship.

Anakin's entire body is paralyzed when Grievous uses the Force on him. He's never felt so vulnerable before.

Anakin's body collides into the wall, hard. His vision goes blurry and red liquid drips from his forehead.

It doesn't take long for Anakin to know that he needs to make a choice. He can't defeat Grievous and save the Senator. He needs to choose.

Anakin jumps up and retreats.

He feels like a sword has sliced his pride in half as he retreats to the escape pods.

He's never run away from a battle, not even in Tatooine.

 _They're all busted._ He observes as he runs away from Grievous, who is now chasing him.

Panic floods over him and he reaches out to the Force for guidance.

"Over here!" He hears a female voice yell.

Anakin whips his head around and sees Padme in an escape pod that seems like it hasn't been damaged that badly yet.

He uses to Force to hop into the pod and closes the door.

The space is tight. It must be a one-person pod.

Anakin hurriedly pushes the eject button and hopes for the best.

The pod spews out of the ship in such an extreme speed it causes Anakin and Padme to be thrown to the walls of the ship.

A grunt emits from Anakin's lips.

The pod reaches a level speed. Anakin and Padme slowly slide off the walls of the ship and come to a seated position.

The space is so small their bodies' touch. Her left side against his right.

They sit there in silence for what seems like centuries, but is probably only a few minutes.

Anakin takes her hand in his and gives it a tight squeeze.

"We're okay now." He whispers soothingly.

He starts to rub circles with his thumb on her small delicate hands.

The stay like that for a little while, enjoying their escape from death and each other's presence.

Padme signs. She looks completely exhausted. She closes her eyes and tries to rest her head against the wall, but she finds that uncomfortable, so instead Anakin lets her rest her head against his shoulder. Exhaustion takes over, and soon the Senator is in a peaceful sleep.

The longer the two stay like that, the harder Anakin's heart pounds.

He tries to control his breathing not to startle her, but boy was he nervous. An angel was sleeping against him, how could he _not_ be nervous.

He looks at her lips and feels a hunger inside of him. They were so close, and she was sleeping…she wouldn't even notice if he stole a kiss.

A weird feeling suddenly washes over him and causes his stomach to burn.

Their close proximity was both a blessing and a curse.

Anakin takes a deep breath. No he mustn't get distracted. He needs to determine his next course of action.

He shifts his eyes from her lips and looks at the control center. Anakin then presses a few buttons. His eye twitches as the system rejects him. He tries over again, pressing coordinates and a few other buttons that control the pod's destination and controls.

"I can't override the system." He says frustrated.

"Where is this pod taking us?" the brunette asks with a sleepy voice.

Anakin continues tinkering with the controls until he finally gives up and leans back against the cold metal walls of the ship.

"Tatooine."

* * *

AN: WHOOOO! Back with another chapter! *hides under blanket* Sorry that it took so long to get this one out! I realized that I accidentally reuploaded chapter 2 and not this one (my bad! I'm still getting used this site and how to publish and post and all that so please forgive me!)

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what ya think and leave a review?! (I will love u forever if you dooo~)

And if you guys want anymore Anidala moments, feel free to leave suggestions of what kind of moments you wanna see! It's my first fanfic, so i need some ideas! Also tell me if I'm going too fast or slow with the pairing...again first fanfic, criticism is welcomed!


	4. Chapter 4

To say that their landing was rough is an understatement.

Anakin had been clenching the steering controls with white knuckles as they broke through the planet's surface when suddenly, due to the extreme speed the pod was flying at and the extreme heat of the planet itself, the pod caught on fire. Much to Anakin's luck, the entire control system detonated. They were hurling towards the sand dunes and all they could do is watch.

* * *

Anakin carries Padme bridal style in his arms as he shakingly steps out of the pod with blurry vision and an extreme pain in his left leg. Due to the explosion there's a ringing in his ears and he fears that he may have gone deaf.

The blonde manages to walk a few meters away from the rubble that was once a pod before his legs give out and he is forced to quickly place Padme gently on the hot sands of Tatooine.

He gasps for breath, as he no longer has the energy to stand and collapses onto the sand. Smoke had filled his lungs and he hacks up his lungs until his throat becomes raw. But on the bright side his hearing was coming back.

The Padawan feels the heat of Tatooine's two suns roast his back so he rolls over and gets a mouthful of sand blown onto his face.

 _Oh how I hate this planet._ He thinks bitterly as he squints at his surroundings…which is all sand. Hacking now, he spits out the sand but still feels the small rock lodged in between his teeth.

Out of all the planets that they could be landing on…why this one.

A soft grunt emits from the brunette who is only a few inches from Anakin, getting the blonde's full attention.

Hearing a soft whimper of pain only fuels his mind into overdrive, he needed to make sure that she was okay.

Ignoring the ripping pain in his leg, Anakin pushes himself off of the hot sand and onto his wobbly feet. It's only when he stands that he feels the pain shoot through his body and cause his vision to grow weak for a moment, his head spinning.

Gritting his teeth and forcing himself to ignore the pain, he walks a short foot to where the former Queen was lying, her beautiful chocolate eyes fluttering open and immediately squinting upon meeting the bright light of the two sun's.

"Padme, are you alright?" Anakin asks, his voice filled with deep concern and worry as he wastes no time to scan her up and down for wounds. Bending so that he can get a better look, he notices that she has a few scratches on her face, her beautiful face.

"Anakin...what happened?" She asks, disregarding his question as she sits up. Anakin helps her sit up, steadily guiding her up so that if she feels dizzy she doesn't fall over.

But, she must be in better condition than he'd thought for she sits up with ease.

"Padme, are you-"

"I'm fine, Anakin." She cuts him off and brushes her hand as if she's dismissing him from helping her.

Anakin takes a step back and gives her some space, but his eyes stay glued to her figure.

Anakin watches with great concern as Padme places a hand to the back of her head and visibly winces.

"You're hurt!" Anakin says as he rushes to her side yet again.

Padme, now clearly a little irritated, raises a hand to block him from coming to inspect her.

There's a hint of warning in her eyes, as if she's almost daring him to come one step closer.

"I understand that you are my bodyguard, but I too can take care of myself." She puffs as she slowly stands up. Anakin sees beads of sweat outline her face from the extreme heat; his own face probably looks the same.

Her eyes shift downwards and her expression turns into worry as she see's his bloody leg.

Her hands make their way to her mouth as a soft gasp escapes her lips. "Anakin are you sure that _you're_ alright?"

"Ha! Tis only a scratch, Milady" Anakin says with a smirk, but inside he was screaming. A metal blade had somehow managed to create a gash in his left calf. The wound wasn't that deep, thank goodness, but the bleeding was profuse, and the heat and sand surely weren't helping.

Padme sighs, seeing right through his façade. But, seeing as embarrassing him and calling him out on his lie won't benefit their situation, she remains silent.

Anakin wipes his sweaty forehead with his forearm and looks up to stare into the distance.

"We should get going to find some form of civilization." He says firmly, thinking back to what his Master would suggest they do in a situation like this.

Padme nods, her face now a shade of red from the burning sun.

A frown forms on Anakin's face. He doesn't like to see his angel in discomfort, and he surely doesn't want her to suffer from sunburn, he knows from experience that sunburn is awful.

"Here," the blonde says as he takes off his Jedi cloak and drapes it over her petite figure. He props up the hood so that her face can be protected from the harmful rays of the sun and gives her a little smile.

"Better?" he asks with a caring smile.

Her brows furrow, "But what about you?"

"I grew up here, Milady, I should be fine." The Padawan informs her reassuringly.

Anakin moves past her and begins to walk north, which will hopefully take them to Mos Espa. From the corner of his eyes he sees Padme follow and soon she catches up to him so they walk side by side.

As they walk, Anakin fiddles with his commlink. He couldn't get a signal, so he didn't even bother trying to send out a message. Hopefully when they are in Mos Epsa he will be able to make contact.

The two try to conserve their energy and fall into a rather comfortable silence as they walk through the sandy dunes.

* * *

Anakin tried to ignore the cold breeze that set in as the two suns were beginning to set. He kept on sneaking peaks at Padme to see if she was uncomfortable throughout their travel, but the brunette kept a level head and did not complain one time.

Now with darkness starting to settle it was becoming harder to see where the two were going, and the fear of sand people lingered in the back of Anakin's head until his nerves got the best of him.

"We should set up camp for tonight and continue tomorrow morning." He says stopping in his tracks. The words felt course in his throat.

Gosh he was so thirsty.

Padme nods and sits down on the cooling sand. Her perfect posture disappears as she slumps over and releases a loud sign.

Anakin internally yells at himself for getting them in this mess in the first place. He should have defeated the Sith and gotten to Naboo. This could have all been avoided if he was stronger.

The blonde takes a seat next to the brunette and lets out a sigh as well. His leg, still covered in the makeshift wrap, had stopped bleeding hours ago but was itchy and sore. Anakin knew that if he didn't get it treated soon, it'd become infected. He just wished he had some water.

Speaking of water, their journey has been exhausting and they were very low in water supply. Padme had already drank all her water, and so Anakin offers her his last sips.

"Thank you." Padme rasps.

Anakin, again, gets angry at himself for letting them get into a situation like this, but he doesn't bring it up in fear of sounding weak in front of Padme.

"We should get there by morning." Anakin states. He looks over at Padme and examines her features. Her eyes are tired and irritated by the sand, and her lips are cracked. There's a light layer of sand that's glazed over her face, and Anakin just knows that he must look that same.

"How are you feeling?" he asks with concern laced in his words.

Padme rolls her stiff shoulders and lowers the hood of Anakin's robe so that her whole face is visible in the warm light of the setting suns. How she managed to stay so beautiful after their day's long journey is mystery to him.

"I'm alright. Thirsty, but not dehydrated." She simply states as a shiver runs down her spine. "And maybe a little cold."

The chilly wind has started to pick up. Nightly temperatures usually go below freezing on this planet, and Anakin can only hope that they weren't going to freeze tonight.

"Lets get some rest." Anakin says as he starts to lay down, Padme does the same.

His muscles ache from their march. And as his skin makes contact with the sand, it burns. He must have sunburn. _Great._

The two suns have now set below the horizon and darkness filled the planet. Temperatures were dropping fast and Anakin does the only thing he can think of.

He wraps his arm around Padme and nestles her close to his body.

This way they'd be warmer due to sharing body temperature. He's done this before a million times with Obi-wan on their many adventures together and thought nothing more of it than basic survival skills. But now, with one arm awkwardly wrapped around his crush and soon to be wife (little does she know) he could feel his heartbeat in his ears.

A surprised gasp escapes her lips at first, but as after a few seconds the brunette realizes Anakin's intentions and relaxes. She accepts his embrace, takes off Anakin's Jedi robe and lays it on top of them as a makeshift blanket. Padme then curdles up next to the blonde as the little spoon.

Anakin focuses on his breathing to distract him from this rapidly beating heart.

He couldn't believe this was happening.

"I remember the day we first met all those years ago…" he hears Padme whisper quietly.

Her soft voice floats through the desert, making it a little less unbearable.

A small smile forms on Anakin's lips.

"Me too."

The memory is fond in his mind. In fact, it was one of the best days in his life. He met an angel that day.

Thinking back to his early life, another thought strikes his mind.

His mother.

He's been having nightmares about her ever since he left her. Obi-wan called them dreams, but they were too vivid to be dismissed as just dreams. They were visions, Anakin was sure of it.

A gust of sand hit him lightly on the face and it struck him like lightening that he was here, back on Tatooine, where his mother is.

He can save her.

Anakin knows it's against the Jedi Code to see his mother, but the Jedi don't have to know. He **will** stop the vision from coming true and he **will** save her.

Hope bubbles up inside the Padawan and a plan formulates in his head.

"Padme." Anakin eagerly whispers. He's about to repeat her name when a soft grunt emits from her lips. She was just about to fall asleep.

"My mother is on this planet. I was wondering if it would be okay with you if we visited her." The blonde whispers. "She might help us."

 _And more importantly, I might help her._

"Sounds like a plan." She whispers back. "Looks like our chances of survival have just doubled." She says with hope in her voice.

Just then a cold breeze sweeps through the desert. Anakin can feel a shiver run down Padme's spine and his brows knit in concern. He is still her bodyguard, and so he will see it through that Padme is protected, whether it's from oncoming Sith or the elements.

The blonde nervously puts his arm around her waist and tightens the embrace.

She makes no move of protest, so Anakin relaxes.

They stay in that position throughout the night.

* * *

AN: GUYS OMG HI! It's been so so so long and I'm SO SORRY ABOUT THAT! (I have like no concept of time lol) But HEY I GOT THIS CHAPTER UP! YAY! I will try to make an effort to update faster (no promises tehe) BUT HERE YOU GO CHAPTER 4! Tell me whatcha think!

(to the people that DMed me...I uploaded the story through my phone and it uploaded NUMBERS INSTEAD OF WORDS LIKE WTH I HAVE THE WORST LUCK WITH THIS CITE LAWL so I took it down through my phone and now I'm finally home and have my laptop back so I'm uploading it rn! Really sorry for the confusion!)

AND GUYS OMG 100 FOLLOWS WHAT?! THIS IS CRAZY! THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH! *does the happy dance* YAY

ALSO! I have two ways the next chapter can go...either Anakin saves his mother or he doesn't. What do you guys think I should do? Leave a review! ~


End file.
